Behind Closed Doors
by FengLi
Summary: A servant knows for sure. Mai has her suspicions. Aang, as usual, is clueless. But what exactly are Zuko and Katara doing behind closed doors? Obviously, I can't tell you too much here or else you wouldn't read the dang story. Don't be scared to read it, no matter your pairing preferences.
1. Prologue

Hope you enjoy. Be sure to read my other two stories.../end shameless self-endorsement.

* * *

An almost-tangible feeling of contentment and peace hung in the air. Aang strolled down the hallways of the Fire Nation royal palace, the first Avatar to do so in well over hundred years, a small smile playing on his lips. The only reason it wasn't a full-blown grin was because of a certain Waterbender he had on his mind. After arriving by airship an hour ago and checking on his animal companion Appa, he had scoured the vast royal complex for any signs of Katara.

_Maybe Zuko knows where she is...he knows this palace better than I do. But how do I find him? _

At that moment, a palace servant came running breathlessly past him and Aang called out after him.

"Uh- excuse me, Sir!"

The servant turned around slowly with a apprehensive expression written all over his face.

He bowed deeply before speaking. "Yes, Lord Avatar? How may I assist you?"

"Just call me Aang. Also," he quickly added, "do you know where Zuko is?"

"The Fire Lord is - uh..."

The servant, an old man named Lai Ren, was suddenly more unsure of his next actions than he had ever been, even during the eccentric and brutal reign of Firelord Ozai.

"Er...The Firelord is currently...'occupied'..." he hiccuped nervously and turned away before the Avatar could see the embarrassment on his face.

"Ok...do you happen to know where Katara is?"

The servant froze mid-step and gulped nervously. "She is...uh...I need to go! I am needed elsewhere. Good day, Av-Aang!" He hurriedly bowed again and scurried away before Aang could digest what his strange behavior meant.

_What? That was really weird. And what could Zuko be doing now? _Aang frowned slightly as he continued to explore the inner sanctum of the Palace.

* * *

As the servant briskly walked away from the confused Avatar, he wouldn't say that he was surprised at Zuko's current _tendencies_, given those that he had seen in his father, but he was somewhat disappointed. Even though he hadn't gone into the Firelord's bedchamber himself, he had recognized both of the voices within instantly, and the groans the Firelord had been making were more than enough for his experienced ears to guess their current _activities._

He only felt a lingering sense of pity for the boy Avatar. Despite the impression given by Pu-On Tim's atrocious performances, the Avatar's love for his Waterbending Master was already moving from being a well-circulated rumor to a well-established fact. From what he had heard about him, he was slow to anger and undeniably fair to all he encountered. A heart so pure certainly did not deserve to be broken so young.

As he turned yet another corner and came face-to-face with Lady Mai, he knew that he should've pretended to be sick that day. The Agni Kai between Zuko and his sister _had_ been amazing to watch, and it _was _an honor to meet all the heroes of the war, but he felt his loyalties and sense of morality pulling him in opposite directions...a sensation that had become eerily familiar to him in his line of work.

Mai merely raised an eyebrow as he approached her nervously.

"Is something wrong? You look like you've seen-"

He cut in suddenly. "Apologies, Lady Mai! I am needed elsewhere!"

Without even bothering to bow. Lai Ren raced away from his second close scrape that morning, feeling a rising sense of panic clawing at him. He had a suspicion that something terrible was about to occur, and he wanted to be as far away from it as possible.

Mai shook her head at his retreating figure. Despite Lai Ren's assumptions about his own discreet nature, most people could read him like an open book. There was a reason that he had been assigned to be one of the Firelord's personal attendants. Besides the apologetic personality that would placate the egocentric man, the other servants could rely on him to unwittingly relay any of the Firelord's new _conquests_. Mai had been reading this particular book for a while, and she recognized the telltale expression immediately. For a moment, she relaxed and rolled her eyes at the absurdity of the entire situation. Ever since she had become Azula's 'friend', she had come to expect certain things from the princess' insatiable father.

However, she suddenly gasped when she remembered the humiliated, bent-over figure she had just seen outside the palace only several minutes ago. If it wasn't Ozai, then what was the servant trying so hard to hide?

She began to walk briskly in the direction the servant had come from before accelerating into a full-blown sprint.

* * *

Uh oh!


	2. The Throne Room

A/N:...Things keep rolling along.  
And who's to say that I can't do multiple endings? *hint hint nudge nudge wink wink*

* * *

A long, brightly lit hallway stretched into the distance, the sides plastered with intricate portraits of Firelords past...and the one very recently deposed.

Aang's nimble footsteps were easily muffled by the plush carpeting as he wandered towards a arched doorway draped in crimson curtains. He gently parted them to emerge atop the pavilion overlooking the throne room, the enormous map in the middle flanked by a circle of pillows still indented by recent occupancy.

During the Day of Black Sun, he _had _entered the Firelord's throne room, where the scent of ash had hung thick in the air despite the lack of flames. At that time it had been shrouded in darkness and he hadn't been able to firebend a light. Now however, it was lit by rows of oil lamps attached to the columns dotting the room.

He shivered slightly at the sensation of fear and anger unfolding within him when he realized that _this _was the place where the diabolical conquest of the world had been planned for over a hundred years, but despite all he had seen and experienced in his long struggle against the Fire Nation, he still had a sense of curiosity about the Fire Nation's side of the war that would not be denied. Aang trusted Zuko not to intentionally hide anything _important _from him, but he was nevertheless curious to see what secrets the room held before Zuko could destroy them all in his quest to begin anew.

The table in the center of the room didn't tell much. A complex web of lines and pictographs dotted the map, mostly on the Fire Nation's considerable conquests in the Earth Kingdom. Miniscule red and green symbols faced each other across the papery expanse, each one representing hundred or thousands of soldiers in the real world. The things that drew Aang's attention the most, however, were the miniature airship replicas placed above the western coast of the Earth Kingdom.

His memory drifted back to the memory of yesterday's titanic battle with the Firelord. Until he had entered the war room, it had been too fresh, too _raw,_ for him to reflect on, but now that he was _here,_ in the innermost sanctum of the Fire Nation's war machine, he _did _begin to feel a new sensation arise.

Pride.

It wasn't completely foreign to him. Despite the humility that had been ingrained throughout his life, he did occasionally allow himself to feel proud of his accomplishments - and never more so than now.

He knew, however, that his pride was misplaced, and he stepped back guiltily from the table, walking past the towering columns towards the side of the room.

_There's nothing to be proud of. This is just the first step in fixing my mistakes._

His friends had long reassured him that the war was _not _his fault, and that he should _not _bear the burden of fixing everything, but they didn't - no, couldn't - understand how he felt. Even though his mind had long accepted that he wouldn't have been able to stop the war when it first broke out, his heart told him that the least he could do would be to pick up all the pieces. The place of the Avatar was to bring balance to the world, and that healing would start here, in the Fire Nation.

Aang looked up absentmindedly at the bold characters above the doorway in front of him. _Map Archival Room_. He paused and tilted his head thoughtfully._ This must be where the old maps are stored. _Both curious and apprehensive, he stepped into the dank room and came face-to-face with a crisp, framed map with the same basic format as the one he had just seen. This one, however, was titled with a distinctive golden nameplate: _Conquest of the Air Nomads_.

He gasped and ripped the frame off the wall. With a single glance he knew that it couldn't be the original, as it looked to be in better shape than the one in the war room itself. However, he had never known anything about the actual _conquest _of the Air Nomads besides the tidbits he had heard from Zuko on his travels and the one-day propaganda lesson in the Fire Nation school.

Aang pried open the sturdy frame and withdrew the unblemished paper within to get a closer look. This map was eerily reminiscent of the ones he had studied under Monk Gyatso, where the Fire Nation was still restricted to its home islands, the Earth Kingdom still controlled its western coast, the Southern Water Tribe was still a patchwork of closely associated villages, and where the Air Nomads...

His thoughts trailed off at the painful memory of his people, but he forced himself to re-examine the map to make sense of it. The locations of the four known Air Nomad temples were blotted over with neatly drawn flames. However, when he looked closer, he noticed the smaller red dots spread over the map's various mountain ranges, some of which he knew were seasonal retreats, trading posts or grazing spots for Air Bison... and many of which he had visited what seemed to only be a year or two ago with his Air Nomad friends or just with Gyatso.

His face contorted with pain as if he was re-experiencing the loss of his people.

But with pain came clarity, and it was then that he truly _believed_ the Air Nomads were _gone_. Despite the outwards acceptance that he had long conveyed to his friends, he had always secretly harbored a tiny hope that one of the many enclaves of his culture, his _people_, had survived the genocide on the day of Sozin's comet, perhaps in the mountains that he had thought until _now _were inaccessible to the Fire Nation.

There was no hope anymore.

It was blatantly clear from the map that Sozin had very meticulously planned out his strike on the day of his namesake comet to completely wipe out the Air Nomads. Aang knew that even if Air Nomads _had _escaped, the Air Nomad culture was completely annihilated and would never return as it once was. There likely _were_a handful of Airbending descendants scattered throughout the world, but that was meager consolation.

The Air Nomad culture, their way of life, their entire _civilization, _had been burnt to ashes a century ago and were now, ironically, long scattered by the wind.

He unceremoniously dropped everything in his hand onto the grimy ground, leaning against the wall for support as tears silently trailed down his face.

* * *

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I don't want to rush to the conclusion of this just yet, but it is coming.

Merli: You're obviously a seasoned reader to be able to decipher stories like these so easily. Just don't spoil the ending for anyone else! just kidding...I enjoy having readers like you critique my work.

Kimberly T: That's certainly a possible scenario...

ByTheWayYou'reHair'sOnFire: Thanks, I definitely will!


	3. Through Endless Hallways

Disclaimer: No I don't own A:TLA.

A/N:

Kimberly T pointed out an anachronism in my story's timeline. Therefore, I made a change to make everything fit. /His memory drifted back to the memory of his titanic battle with the Firelord a mere few hours ago./ to read /His mind drifted back to the memory of yesterday's titanic battle with the Firelord./ I adjusted the other parts of the story accordingly. Thanks for taking the time to point it out!

The outcome depends on whether this will be a short (20K) or a long story. I'm sad to say that I don't plan things out that much.

I should've updated this sooner, but I got distracted. What can I say?  
Not much, apparently, since actions speak louder than words. :/

* * *

Mai caught a glimpse of the fleeting airbender out of the corner of her eyes. Had he not been almost completely bare-chested, he would've blended in with his surroundings, as his robes were ironically the same color as the walls and carpeting.

For a moment, she debated whether to follow after him. He was obviously agitated, which couldn't be a good sign. _I wonder if he knows what Zuko is up to, _she wondered idly. _No, he probably wouldn't understand. How old is he - twelve? Almost thirteen? _

She almost moved to make her way to the Firelord's bedchambers before stopping to reconsider her options. _Zuko's left me twice - once on the eclipse, and once at the Boiling Rock, yet I keep coming back to him. How long can we go on like this? Is there even a 'we' anymore?_

Mai slumped her shoulders dejectedly and bit her lip. _I have to face him, no matter what. I can't take not knowing anymore. _She recalled her assumptions about Zuko, causing herself to cringe guiltily. _Do you really think he would...do __**that**__? Like his father? And now, at all times?_

No.

Zuko was the only person she let past in past her ubiquitous, stony visage. He was the only person she allowed herself to smile for. After his mother vanished, she became perhaps the only person who made _him _smile. However, their reciprocity drew unwanted attention, as Ozai shifted the brunt of his disdain to _her_, for _distracting _the prince and making him _weak_. But she stayed and weathered the criticism. Zuko needed her.

Azula didn't mind, of course. She didn't mind having a _distracted _and _weak_ brother at all, and his dependency on Mai was something she could exploit. So she played along with Mai, convincing Ozai that it was simply for political purposes, that Zuko _was _making use of the concubines. In fact, she even took credit for the idea. It gave her a feeling of control, to know how _attached _Zuko really was to the gloomy girl who came day after day to the palace. It was her secret weapon that gave her sway over them both.

Everything seemed to fall apart when Zuko was banished. Azula used the opportunity to extend her reach further, promising to bring Zuzu back if Mai did whatever she said.  
And she did.

Mai kept her lips sealed and her eyes and ears peeled at all times, reporting the tidbits of political intrigue scattered about like so much seasoning along with the delectable cuisines that often accompanied them.

Of course, such loyalty could hardly go unrewarded.

When Omashu fell, Mai's father was on the short list of those unquestionably loyal to Ozai. Yes, he _did _mastermind the fall of the city...but that couldn't be the real reason for the lavish reward.

The Firelord kept his friends close, but like many in power, he kept his enemies closer. Azula _graciously _brought Mai and her family back to Ozai's close attention, convincing him to reward them - thereby giving her even greater leverage over Mai. Mai's family was more vulnerable than ever in the rebellious, recently-conquered city, especially with a newborn child requiring their constant attention. She followed Azula all across the Earth Kingdom, thinking the whole time that they were going to bring Zuko back and hoping that her family was safe.

She hid her apprehension behind a mask of indifference and earned a new nickname - Lady Apathy.

Then Ba Sing Se happened, and her suspicions turned to realization. Azula had been using her, not really caring whether Zuko came back or not. He was merely an afterthought.

Mai seethed when she realized that she had been the only one who had cared all along. Her friend Ty Lee had disappeared after the banishment, as the palace atmosphere had become so impossibly grim that her bubbly countenance could no longer bear it. That had changed, of course, when the 'universe' had showed her strong hints for a career change. Despite what Ty Lee had dared to tell her about her final performance in the circus, there was an unspoken truth between them. Much more important was the control over the nobility that Azula frequently used as a means to an end. In this case, that meant chasing a pair of royalty to the end of the earth.

Given no choice, Azula feigned affection (as best as she could) after the events in the Crystal Catacombs by giving her brother the bone he he had longed for - his 'honor'.

As if _honor _was a title or position to be granted by royalty. The irony of it being granted to a _Prince _of all people was stifling. It was all wrong. Mai couldn't bear to watch Zuko be tricked by his sister, like _she _had been for the past three years. She had learnt her lesson, and she spent the short time between the fall of Ba Sing Se and the Eclipse trying to help him understand without saying it outright.

She didn't truly know him anymore; not after three years apart. Testing the waters would be the safest way to go. But when he realized what she was telling him, he ran off as if he had to save the world all by himself.

_Dear Mai,_

_You helped me realize that my honor isn't something that can be given. It has to be earned through my own actions. I'm going to join the Avatar to teach him firebending and to help defeat my father, to bring peace and balance to the world. I'm sorry that you had to find out this way, but this is something that I have to do by myself. My mistakes nearly ruined everything, not yours. _There was a hesitant break in his bold script, a misplaced stroke. _You know what Ozai would do to your family if you left with me._

_Zuko. _

_P.S. I'm busting out Uncle. Stay safe. _

She almost laughed (or at least smiled) at the abrupt change in tone at the end of his 'letter', but she didn't.

She wasn't mad at him. He had told her about what Ozai's plan, and she was happy that he had finally turned against his genocidal father and psychotic sister. But she wasn't expecting to be left behind even if it was the right decision. The fact that it _was _the right decision didn't make it hurt any less.

So when Azula asked her about Zuko, the noblewoman's heartbreak seemed genuine, too visceral to be faked.

_"I hate him! I want to kill him! He's a traitor!" _

Everyone believed that Mai was set on catching Zuko and punishing him for his treachery. After all, Azula herself had assured them that their relationship was only political. Nobody had never seen Mai act so emotionally, but then there was no reason to question her feelings. The bamboo paper scroll soon became ash and returned to the dirt from which it had risen. Without any leads, Azula couldn't discern anything wrong with her and shelved her doubts far away, in the back of her mind. She had always been a 'people person', and judging them was second nature.

Then came the Boiling Rock, and Mai's entire world was turned upside down again, not least of all her faith in Zuko.

While the princess had indeed miscalculated the dagger-throwing noble, Mai began to wonder if she had miscalculated Zuko.

Mai shifted towards the gently rippling curtains of the Throne Room as an idea formed in her mind. Perhaps Zuko's companions for the past month could cast a light on who he really was...or who he had become. After all, his half-year on the run had been the first time when he _hadn't _been spied on by Azula or one of her informants.

_Father once said that a man's true nature emerges when nobody is watching...or in this case, when nobody likely to report to Azula is watching. _Setting a determined pace, she noiselessly parted the curtain. However, her efforts at maintaining the tranquility in the chamber came to a halt with the distinct sound of shattering glass.

* * *

"Toph, slow down!"

"C'mon Sokka, weren't you the one who wanted to find Katara as soon as possible?"

"Well, I have a broken leg!" he complained exasperatedly. He hopped awkwardly and swung his good leg and crutch forward, barely managing to keep his balance on the lush carpeting.

"Suki, give Snoozles a hand, will ya? I feel like he's about to-"

With a comical yelp, he jumped ahead yet again. "I'm ok! Just make sure I don't fall down!"

Suki rolled her eyes at his antics. "Seriously Sokka, let me help you." She crouched her under his arm before standing up and gently wrapping her arm around his waist. "You're going to dislocate your shoulders if you keep this up any longer."

Toph walked off to the side of the hallway and pushed the carpet out of the way, exposing the tiling underneath. Being _reasonably _careful to not utterly demolish the oh-so-precious patterns painted onto the floor (that she couldn't see anyways), she stomped down hard to get a sense of her surroundings both near and far.

Sokka and Suki had caught up to her at that point, giving each other lovey-dovey looks as they hung tightly to each other, but Toph couldn't see them. She _could _tell from their heartbeats, but she chose to ignore that as well.

"How am I supposed to find Katara in this place? It feels like half of the servants have similar footsteps to her."

Sokka looked off thoughtfully into the distance. His contemplative appearance would've been enhanced by him scratching his chin, but one of his hands held his crutch tightly, and the other hand was otherwise _occupied_.

Conversely, Suki tried to recall the vague rumors she had heard when their airship had landed. _Something about an Agni Kai between Zuko and Azula? Zuko won, but where is Katara? _

"Zuko probably knows where she is. Maybe we should find him?"

"Hmm...good point. He _is _pretty good at knowing where we all are, now that I think about it." Sokka looked at Suki smugly, but was met with a chastising frown. _What? It's true! He better now, but he-_

"Hey, Zuko is a nice guy!" Toph cut in irritably. She turned away as a her pale cheeks flooded with a rosy tint. _A really nice guy..._

"If you say so." Sokka's tone, however, implied anything_ but _his agreement - or his sincerity, fo that matter. Suki frowned again, but when Sokka began to look genuinely crestfallen, she leaned up to place a reassuring kiss on his cheeks.

He smiled sheepishly and leaned in towards her, pausing just inches away from her face. To Toph's annoyance, the couple began to lose themselves in each other's gaze, full of indescribable longing. unspoken words, and depthless adoration...

"Geez guys, I'm blind but I'm not stupid! Are we going to find your sister or not? You were so worried about her just a moment ago!" _Zuko would've been waiting for us outside if Katara was in any danger at all. He's still trying to prove himself after everything that happened. Maybe I could ask him about that field trip? _Toph's annoyed frown dissolved into a grin as she considered the possibilities.

"Oh-yeah." Sokka lurched back suddenly, guilt flooding his face with color for the second time in a span of minutes.

On the other hand. Suki merely smiled smugly at the boy next to her and supported him as they trailed after the irate earthbender, earning an all-too-familiar pout from him in the process.

Toph didn't bother to look back for several reasons, the most obvious being her blindness. Even if she _could _see, however, she wouldn't have turned back anyways. Her patience was wearing thin. She wanted to find Katara, of course, but that concern was only second place.

"I think I know where the Throne Room is. Follow me!"

The trio kept a steady pace as they unwittingly made their way towards their friends.

* * *

Tell me anything and everything that might be wrong or right with this chapter!


	4. Meeting Again

Finally, an update. This story will conclude in another two or three chapters, thanks for sticking along and reading.

Disclaimer: I forgot, but I do not own A:TLA or any of its characters.

A/N: Well, I can't exactly do the story from Zuko and Katara's perspective. First of all, I'm keeping this story at a 'T' rating (not that whatever they are doing is 'M'). Also, the uncertainty of their activities is part of the irony and suspense...and although I suspect many of my readers already know the ending, I still want to keep things the way they are for the story's sake.

~~~~~~~

_Huh?_

Without hesitating, Mai parted the curtains and looked for any sign of the airbender. A faint shadow from the side of the room caught her attention and she swiftly made her way towards it.

_Is he in the Map Archives?_

She tried to make herself look as unthreatening as possible before cautiously entering the room and announcing herself. She stopped when she noticed the boy curled in a fetal position turned away from the doorway.

She coughed conspicuously to get his attention, but he didn't look up. "Avatar." she said, her voice lifting up slightly.

Aang recognized the voice immediately, recalling his memory of what had happened at Omashu. Panicking, he quickly leapt to his feet and into a defensive stance.

"Um-" Mai backed away slowly. _He's so jumpy - what - oh, of course. He just faced the Firelord._

As Aang searched her face for any sign of aggression he began to remember what Zuko had told him about his and Sokka's escape from the Boiling Rock.

He lowered his arms slowly, and feeling sheepish, he approached the noblewoman slowly before bowing with his hands arranged in the traditional Fire Nation salute. After defeating the Fire Lord he felt like had suddenly aged a few years...and that he should begin acting like one.

"Lady Mai, my name is Aang, and it is-"

"Oh stop it, you're making me feel old. Just call me Mai."

But Aang wouldn't give up so easily…and admittedly, it was fun to act like this once in awhile.

"It is a great honor to-"

"Ok, now you're creeping me out. How old are you again, twelve?"

"Yeah..." he trailed off awkwardly and returned to a standing position, giving up his formality. "So..." he began slowly, "thanks for saving my friends?"

Mai seemed surprised before she remembered what he meant. "Oh, no problem. I was tired of being Azula's pawn." she said dismissively. _Also I didn't want to let Zuko die...but he probably knows that. _

Aang desperately tried to think of some other thing to say. "Also, thanks for...letting us take Bosco in Ba Sing Se."

"Oh...well..." she trailed off and looked down at Aang, who wore an earnest expression on his face. Mai still felt guilty about her role in the war, and didn't want to appear as a saint when she wasn't. "Well...that was because I didn't want Ty Lee to begin her own circus. I mean, did you see what she was doing before your friends came?" Mai smiled at the amusing memory.

"Oh, yeah, she's from the circus isn't she?"

Mai nodded.

"She's pretty good at acrobatics." Aang said with genuine admiration. "Maybe I can learn from her...I mean, I'm a airbender and she can dodge attacks almost as good as I can!"

"Hmm..." Mai said thoughtfully. "I think she was mostly using it for show. Your friends are good fighters and all, but I remember more than once she was flirting...with the Watertribe guy."

"Oh yeah...that was weird, wasn't it? I mean half the time we were fighting you guys she was talking to Sokka!"

"Hey," Mai asked hesitantly, "what are your other friends' names? I know you're Aang and now I know who Sokka is. But who's the Waterbender and the Earthbender?"

"Well," Aang said cheerfully, "Katara bends water and Toph bends earth."

"Isn't...Toph blind?" Mai asked. "How does she bend so well?"

"Well, her parents, the Beifongs kept her locked up since they wanted her to be perfect and everything, but then she became friends with the Badgermoles who are also blind, and she learned Earthbending from them!" Aang said in one breath and finished his story with a flourish.

Mai smiled wryly at Aang's antics. "Huh...well I guess that's something we share in common. The Beifongs are practically nobility."

"Aren't you going to be the future Fire Lady or something?" Aang pointed out innocently.

"Um..." Mai fell silent, suddenly feeling uncomfortable discussing the new subject. "Well...Zuko and I never really sorted that out before he left."

"Hmm..." Aang thoughtfully stroked his invisible beard, his mind fancying himself as a wise love guru. "I'm sure he still loves you..." At the thought of love however his mind invariably fixated on Katara and he blushed.

Mai looked at the young Avatar skeptically as blood rushed into his face. _What, does he know something about Zuko that I don't know? _She thought back to what she heard from the guards. _He jumped in front of a lightning bolt to save...who? The Water tribe girl? _Mai clenched her teeth at the thought, feeling both guilty and troubled. _I shouldn't feel jealous, but...I wonder if the Avatar would know if there was something going on between them._

"Do you know if...he and the...Water Tribe girl are…_together_?"

Aang stared at her blankly. "Well, I would think so…I heard he took a bolt of lightning for her." _I should thank him when see him, _he told himself. "She's probably taking care of him in his bedroom or something."

Mai sighed deeply, both at what Aang was unknowingly insinuating and at his complete cluelessness. "Aang, I mean..." she paused at his earnest expression. _This is going to be so awkward. "…_do they like each other?" Aang furrowed his brows, obviously still not understanding what Mai was saying. Mai steeled herself and continued, "As in a romantic way?"

Aang began hacking loudly, his gaze wandering wildly around the room. "No - no! Katara is mi-Mai." _No, not 'mine' you idiot. Not after Ember Island...and probably not before._

"Wait, what? She's me?" _Does he mean that Zuko thinks of her - in the same way he used to think of me? _Mai resumed speaking as the unanswered questions continued to torment her. "Could you repeat that? I didn't hear the last part clearly."

"Sure," Aang piped up, happy at the chance not to look like a complete goofball. "As I said, Katara...has found someone besides Zuko." _Hopefully me, _he thought wistfully as a dreamy look settled on his face.

"You mean, you?" Mai easily caught the hopeful glint in the Avatar's eyes. _Aha! Got you...not that you were really hiding it. Anyways, I'm__trained in the art of reading emotions..._

Aang became downcast as soon as he understood what Mai was implying. "I don't know..." he said honestly. "I idiotically tried...kissed her less than a week ago when she said she was confused. I think she hates me now." _Well, not hate, but she doesn't think of me in that way anymore..._he sighed deeply and plopped down on the ground, sitting semi-crosslegged and leaning back on his extended arms.

Mai arched her eyebrows. "What did she say after you kissed her?"

"Um...she said that she was confused." Aang said dejectedly, his gaze still unfocused from the ground.

"Well, you have a good shot."

"What do you mean?" Aang's voice lifted slightly, as if all his hope had suddenly returned to him.

Mai fought to keep herself from retching at the unbridled hope rolling off Aang in waves. "Well, the fact that she still _considers_ the possibility after you did something so..."_ ugh, I don't want to hurt - ah, whatever. If you come to Mai for advice in private...then I'm giving my honest opinion. _"STUPID, " she said loudly, "then I would say you have a chance. Just give her time, and don't push her or get in her face about it." _Not like Zuko...he's the pushy type._

~~~~~~~~

Rushing ahead around the next corner, Toph, Sokka and Suki came up to a dead end.

"Toph, I thought you knew where the throne room is!" Sokka complained.

"Oh, stop being such a sissy. Of course I know where it is...I'm beginning to wonder who the real blind one here is." Toph stomped up to a well-concealed curtain and stalked through wordlessly. She was soon followed by her companions and they emerged on the side opposite of where Mai and Aang were, whose conversation echoed loudly in the large room.

"Who's there?" Sokka whispered suspiciously.

"It's Aang...and someone else. A girl." Toph said, not bothering to lower her voice.

"Hey, Aang! Come out here!" Sokka yelled loudly.

"Sokka, maybe he's busy with something..." Suki said before adding "Hey, look! It's the map archival room!" She turned to elbow Sokka playfully but he was already well out of her grasp, the rapid *clicks* of his crutch on the ornate tiling surprisingly loud in the empty room.

"Wow, Sokka doesn't hold back, does he?" Toph said quietly.

"Yeah," Suki replied dreamily.

Toph fought the urge to stick her tongue out at Suki at how she had been reduced to a puddle of goo by Sokka, but she held back. "C'mon," she said, nudging Suki gently. "Let's go see what Aang's up too."

They quickly closed the distance to hear a murmur of voices, one much louder than the other too.

"Well, Sokka seems happy." Toph mused as they turned the corner.

Aang and Mai looked up as Toph and Suki came in. Sokka looked up and smiled when he saw Suki.

"Hey Suki, these maps are amazing!" he said with an excited grin. He held up a map depicting the old Southern Water Tribe. "This is the best one so far...but I'm looking for one of Kyoshi Island."

Suki suddenly guilty at that. "Sokka, there might not be one. Kyoshi was neutral in the war until you came."

"Oh yeah." Well...maybe I can find one of the old Air Nomads, eh Aang?"

"Nah, I already found one..." Aang said glumly.

"Oh." Sokka remained silent before he perked up again with another idea. "Toph, maybe you want to see one of the Earth Kingdom?

Toph huffed and crossed her arms. "I'm blind, remember. Unless you want to carve the entire thing into a rock, then I'm fine."

Sokka threw up his hands, completely exasperated at his failure to make anyone happy.

Mai couldn't resist at the chance to poke fun at the Water Tribe warrior. "Sokka, you know Ty Lee has a giant crush on you, right?"

"Yeah..." he mumbled nervously.

Suki stepped up at his hesitation and and put a surprisingly strong arm around her boyfriend.

"Tell Ty Lee that he's...taken." she said with a smirk.

"Ah...I have a feeling Ty Lee will come here soon. She came here with me, after all." Mai said easily.

However, Toph sensed that Mai was hiding something. "How come she's not with you?"

"She's with..." Mai grimaced before continuing, "Azula."

Aang seemed genuinely confused at that. "Why?" As soon as his words left his mouth however, he realized the obvious reason. "It's the Boiling Rock, isn't it?"

"Yeah." Mai said tersely.

Aang looked at Toph, who returned his gaze despite her blindness. "Well..."

As Aang and Toph tried to think of something thoughtful to say, Sokka straightened his back and grimaced as he began speaking, his voice low and serious. "I really thought we were going to die on that Gondola." His expression changed and he seemed stricken, haunted even. He then looked up at Mai, his sharp blue eyes blazing with unspoken words.

"Thank you."

Mai nodded wordlessly, staying still as Sokka continued to stare at her.

Before long however she felt the serious mood dissipating into something awkward. "Um..." she muttered as she shuffled her feet.

"Zuko's lucky to have you." Sokka said suddenly. "I think you'll make a great Fire Lady."

Suki piped up to agree with Sokka. "Yeah, me too." she said brightly.

Mai seemed flustered at that. "Ah...well-"

Toph became annoyed at where the conversation was moving, so she jumped into the fray once again. "Let's go find him." she paused when everyone stared at her. "Zuko, I mean." She blushed unconsciously and turned away so the others wouldn't see it. "He would know where Katara is." After a moment she turned towards Aang and tilted her head meaningfully.

"Ah, yes. We should go find Katara." he said with a goofy grin on his face. However, when Sokka looked at him strangely he continued on in a nervous voice. "…And Zuko. We need to find Katara and Zuko."

Mai frowned at that, and despite her best efforts to hide it Sokka's observant gaze caught onto it. He frowned as well, wondering why Mai might possibly unhappy with. _Katara…and Zuko? He would know where she is, wouldn't he?_

Annoyed at the sudden onset of hesitation in the group, Toph stomped up to the doorway and jerked her head to the side. "Well, come on!"

Aang trailed after her, light on his feet and twirling his staff excitedly.

Mai soon made her way to the front of the group to lead them so Toph could have a break. The Earthbender had to stomp down hard every time she wanted to get a larger view of the Palace, and there were already complaints of shattered tiling all around. While Mai grimaced more than once as hordes of servants rushed past her with buckets filled with rocky debris, Toph merely shrugged, mysteriously saying that she would fix it all 'better' later.

Mai didn't like the sound of that, but there was nothing she could do about it.

Sokka and Suki followed at a small distance, their hushed voices inaudible to everyone except the Earthbender, who walked slowly by the Avatar's side.

In the back of the group, Aang and Toph talked about his battle with Ozai and how he had used the seismic sense she had taught him to avoid the Firelord's 'surprise' attack after he refused to kill him.

"Well, you've become quite the Earthbender." Toph grinned and slapped Aang on the back. "But you know who's still better?" She wagged her eyebrows mischievously.

"Um…" Aang trailed off, pretending to be confused for a second. "Gee, I don't know." He smiled at Toph, who had already caught on to him and decided to turn the tables.

"Huh, me neither." Toph said, going along with the joke. Her voice seemed was reduced to a pity-inducing whisper and she seemed to be genuinely saddened.

Seeing her dejected expression, Aang moved closer to Toph to comfort her. "Hey, I was kidding. I think you're the greatest Earthbender in the world."

"Really?" Toph murmured quietly, her voice still small but containing a sliver of hope. Within her mind, however, she struggled to stop herself from shaking with laughter at the absurdity of the situation.

Aang was now genuinely perplexed. He sighed and tried to reassure the obviously distressed Earthbender besides him. "Toph, I think you're wonderful…in everything you do. You're so brave and loyal…and you have a kind side. He was about to continue when he noticed a smirk playing on her face. _Wait…_

He yawned innocently and gently poked Toph on the shoulder. "And now I see you have a soft side."

Toph lost all pretense of humility at that. "Well, I guess you're starting to rub off on me then." she said sarcastically.

Aang ignored her and went on with his sappy praise. "Well, even if you don't believe it, I still think you do. I think it's really great that you have this…_duality_. I'm not trying to be corny or anything, but you're a hard rock with a soft center."

Toph couldn't help but groan at his unceasing praise of her. She had long ago realized that Aang always saw the best in everyone, no matter who they were or how significant it was. His compassion and kind heartedness was so great that she sometimes wondered if he could've simply smothered the Firelord with his good will.

"Ugh, save it for Katara." She stomped again, sending a barely noticeable shockwave down the next hallway and sensing two people in the large room at the end of it.

Aang continued to blabber excitedly on. "Well you see, Katara is a great person as well. She's so-"

"Shut it Twinkletoes."

"Where did Momo go?"

"Probably still with Appa."

"I wonder if they talk to each other…"

"You're crazy."

"I'm serious! I have a way with animals you know…" Aang said, a defiant frown on his face.

"Yeah, you have a way with everything."

Aang couldn't argue with Toph's last point and he suddenly fell silent before speaking up In a subtly hopeful voice.

"Is Katara there? Or Zuko?"

"They're both there."

In a matter of moments the group turned the final corner and arrived at the Firelord's bedchamber. Mai, already standing at the front of the group, stepped forward and lightly grasped the carved handle.

She was unpleasantly surprised when she tried to turn it and it was locked.

~~~~~  
Review responses: **4minute**  
First, let me say that I'm happy that you reviewed. I hope my author's note at the beginning explained why I can't bring Zuko and Katara in yet, as I wrote it in response to your concerns.

On another note, regarding the eventual pairing in this story:  
This was somewhat of a confusing story to write. I _was _considering the possibility of there being a hidden romance and seeing how Aang would react, but I realized that it would be too hard to explain fully in a short story like this. Aang's feelings for Katara are incredibly complex, and a 5-or-6 chapter story wouldn't do it justice, much less Mai's feelings after being abandoned by Zuko twice in only a few months. It would be hard to explain their anger, or the lead-up to Zuko and Katara's sudden relationship. But don't worry, I will be making a story that somewhat mirrors this plotline.

What is happening Behind Closed Doors? This rhetorical and completely unanswerable question is here to pique your curiosity.


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